Christopher Prendergast of Team Manitoba and Ariane Bonhomme of Team Québec both rode to solo victories today as the Junior Men and Women contested the road races at the 2012 COLD-FX Canadian Road Championships presented by Canadian Tire in Lac Mégantic, QC. Cycling+Canada

Christopher Prendergast completed the 111.7-kilometre course in 3:07.26 to take his first Canadian Title in road races. Prendergast, who won the Canadian Criterium Championship last year, was pleased with his racing today. “It’s amazing to be a National champion. Certainly beats last year [when I won the Crit].

“I thought the racing was great. I attacked from the last climb [of Mont Morne] and one guy jumped with me. I thought we would work together until the finish, but it didn’t turn out that way. Never at any points I thought I would make it until about three kilometres to go when it was all downhill.”

“I wanted to get in an early breakaway, because sometimes at Junior Nationals, guys work for themselves and the peloton is not always working together. So I didn’t know if the break would get caught. I just jumped in the break, and didn’t work too hard until the last climb where I attacked.”

Two and a half month ago, Prendergast moved to France, where he took part in bigger races. “I’ve done tons and tons of big races over in France, like Category 2's and big junior races. I did lot of training, and took it a little bit easier this past week, and came in all guns going.”

In the seven-man sprint for the second place, Brandon Etlz of Team SpiderTech powered by PowerWatts came in second, followed by Benjamin Perry of Team CHCH in third.

In the women’s race, Ariane Bonhomme also won her race in a solo break. In the last big hill coming back to lac Mégantic for the finish, Bonhomme took the opportunity of a splintering peloton to launch her attack, alongside teammate Allyson Gillard.

“I did not really expect that. This is my first junior year, and this is a first experience for me at Nationals. My goal was to finish with the pack, and I won. I do not even realize it yet,” said Bonhomme, visibly very happy with the top prize.

“My goal was to stay with the girls in the pack. I knew there were some pretty good climbers in the group, and I wanted to stay with them. When the girls started to drop out, I ended up with Allyson, and I knew how she was very strong. I didn’t really an attack, she simply dropped. I felt bad at the same time, because she was my teammate and I knew that the Worlds were her goal this year. At the same time, it is a Canadian Championships – a big race.”

Allyson Gillard, also of Team Québec, finished second at 1:07 back of the winning time, while Audrey Labrie of Piste.ca took the third place.

Sunday, the criteriums will be held for all Masters categories, as well as for the Juniors, concluding the 2012 COLD-FX Canadian Road Championships presented by Canadian Tire.